State officials removing chemicals from Springfield home

SPRINGFIELD - Members of the State Police and the Western Massachusetts Regional Hazardous Materials Team on Wednesday night were removing potentially dangerous chemicals from an Indian Orchard house that the previous homeowner had stored there.

Springfield Fire Department Deputy Chief Glenn Guyer said the chemicals are being removed from the house on Rapalus Street as a precaution and there is no danger to the public or the immediate vicinity.

The chemicals included containers of black powder and other materials.

The previous owner of the property had apparently stored the materials in the home although it is not clear why, Guyer said.

The previous owner died in December and his caretakers of the property apparently notified the state Department of Environmental Protection of the chemicals in the house. The removal operation had been in the works for some time, Guyer said.